The MoD paid him more than $214,000, and after he paid the genuine invoices he was left with more than $154,463.

A confiscation order was made for £92,759.47.

'Illegal profits'

Lindsey Miller, procurator fiscal for organised crime and counter terrorism, said: "Jason Fletcher was serving an important role in the UK operations in Afghanistan.

"He chose to exploit the trust that had been placed in him to his own advantage, and defrauded the Ministry of Defence of a significant sum of money.

"His carefully planned deception may have temporarily allowed him to profit from his actions, but he now faces 18 months behind bars and an order made to confiscate his illegal profits and put them back in to the public purse where they belong."

Det Sgt Peter Cassidy, of the MoD Police CID, who led the investigation, said: "Fletcher created and submitted false tasking forms and invoices for radio contract work while serving in Afghanistan.